Mail receiver and deliverer.



J 0. ANEJERSON MAIL RECEIVER AND DELIVEBEE.

AEPLIGATIDN FILED JULY 8, 190B.

Patentsfi ma 4,19%.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. 0. ANDERSON.

MAIL RECEIVER AND DELIVEREE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8. 1908.

Patented M213 4, 1909.

L SEBETSSHBET 2.

nnirnn sTATEs JOSEPH O. ANDERSON, OF BERCAIL, MONTANA.

MAIL RECEIVER Specification of Letters Patent.

AND DELIVERER.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Application filed July 8, 1908. Serial No. 442,622.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. J'osnrn ANDERSON, a citizen of Sweden, residing at ,Bereail, in the county of Fergus and State of Montana, United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Receivers and .Deliverers, of which the following isa specification.

The iresent invention appertains to mechanienil appliances for receiving and delivering mail from moving trains and has for its object to provide a structure ellective for the j and positive and certain in operation, the means being reversible and' purpose intended movable to admit of shifting from one side of the car to the other or to be turned accordmg to the direction of travel of the can For a. lull umlersianding ol' the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details ol construction and the means for e'll'cetmg the result, reference is to be had to'the following description and the in. 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. i) is a top plan view the base provided with the catcher and or gaging means htted to the lower arm of the swinging frame. 'Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 oi Fig. '5.

Corresponding and like parts are rel'erred to in the ,l'ollowing description and indicated in all the. views of the drawings by the same rclcrcnce characters.

At one side of the track is placed a post 1 which is )revided with arms 2,3 and 4 sup porting the means for receiving and holding the mail in proper position. The arm 2 receives the catcher and the arms 3 and 4 are provided with the means for holding the mail bag when placed to be delivered to the moving train. A base 5 is pivoted upon the arm 2 and is :nlapted to be turned about the pivot fastening as an axis. The ends of the base 5 are made rounding so as to obtain a I close it with the. part of the arm 2 abutting against the end of said base. A pin 6 is adapted to hold the base 5 in the adjusted iposition, that is, with the catcher facing either up or down track. The upper portion ol the arm 2 isrecessed to receive the base 5, the shoulder formed at the inner end of the recess bcin rounding to conform to the rounded ends of the base. 5. ("-atcher arms 7 are pivoted at their inner ends to the base 5 and their outer ends ilare to properly direct the back or other container into the space formed between the said arms. A keeper 8 consisting of an arch, has its vertical members secured to the base 5 and embraces the upper and outer sides 01' 'he. catcher arms and limits their opening movement. Pins 9 project from the base 5 and are adapted to engage with the. inner sides ol the catcher arms and limit their opening movement. Pins 9 project. from the base 5 and are adapted to engage with the inner sides 01 the catcher arms and limit their closing movement. A spring 10 of the. contractile type normally exerts a pressure to draw the catcher arms tegether so as to hold the bag or container and prevent displacement thereof. The opposite portions of the catcher arms are outwardly curved, thereby forming a space between said arms when closed to hold and retain the mail bag or like container receiving the mail or other matter to be delivered. lnner projections'll consti tute abutmenis to engage with and limit the ceived between the catcher arms. A spreader bar 12 holds the catcher arms 7 separated at their outer ends when set to receive the mail. This spreader bar is pivoted at one end to one ol the catcher arms and is connected to the other catcher arm by means of a pin 13, the latter'operating in an L-slot 14 formed in the end portion of the spreader bar remote from its )ivot end. The pin 13 is headed and the s ioulder formed by the lateral extension at the outer end of the slot 14 engages with the pin 13 and holds the outer ends of the catcher arms separated or spread. The spreader bar 12 is arranged a short distance in front of the inner projections or abutments 1] so as to be engaged by the bag or container when received between the catcher arms, thereby releasing the inward movement of the mail bag when respreader bar so that the catcher arms may be permitted to close upon the bag received between them and hold it in place.

A base is pivoted upon the arm 3 to swing horizonta ly about its )ivot connection as a vertical axis. A latch bolt 16 mounted upon the arm 3 engages with the base 15 and holds the same in either of its two extreme positions. The base 15 is provided with engaging means for sustaining the mail bag or container in position to be delivered to the catcher of the moving train. The engaging means consist of arms 17 arranged in parallel position and pivoted between their ends to the base 15. A spring 18 of the contractile type connects'the outer members of the arms 17 and holdsthem closed so as to retain the ring, loop or like part of the bag or container placed in position between them. A stop 19 is fitted to the base 15 and arranged between the arms 17 and holds them in a iven position. This stop 19 consists of a ror or stout wire arched between its ends to span the spring 18 and having its extremities let into or secured to said basein any manner. The bar or projecting ends of the arms 17 are tapered and oppositely curved to receive the suspending device, such as the ring or loop of the mail bag.

The arm 4 is provided with engaging means for holding the mail bag in place. The engaging means illustrated consist of books 20 pivoted at their lower ends to the extremity oi the arm '-1. spring 21 connects the hooks 20 and normally exerts a pressure to draw the latter to gether. Pins 22 projected from the arm 4 extend b tween the hooks 20 and form stops to limit their inward or closing movement. The lower ring or loop oi the mail bag 23 is received between the hooks .20, whereas the upper ring or loo is held between the arms 17, the mail bag living thus he d in position for delivery to the catcher ol' the train.

A guard 24 is applied to the post 1 at a point between the arms 2 and 3 and by preference is located near the arm 3. This guard prevents interl'erem-e ot the bag or container delivered to the catcher ol' the post with the bag or container suspended between the arms 3 and 4. The guard consists of a rod or bar having a crank portion 25 at one end and which crank portion is pivotally connected to the post to admit of the guard being turned from one side of the post to the other,.

according to the direction of travel of the car. It is to be understood that the guard is arranged to project from the same side oi the post as tle catcher to engage with the mail delivered thereto and prevent the same interl'ering with the mail suspended between the arms 3 and 1 to be delivered to the train.

A swingim frame is applied to aside 01' the car at one side of the door opening so as to be A contractingswung outward to bring the catcher in posi tion to receive the mail fromthe station and the mail bag container carried by the train in position to be delivered at the station. This frame comprises an upper arm 26, a lower arm 27 and an upright 28 connecting the inner ends of the arms 26 and 27. When the frame is swung outward, it is held in position by means of a catch 29 and a brace30, the latter being pivoted at one end to the arm 27 and having its opposite end formed with a head 31 to enter a socket 32 attached to a side of the car a short distance from the door opening. A head 31 interlocks with the socket 32, thereby fixing the position of the swinging frame and preventing any rebound thereof due to shock when receiving and delivering mail. The arm 27 is adapted to receive and support a base 33 which is reversible, the same being provided with keepers 34 which receive the outer portion of the arm '27, said base 33 being placed in position or removed from the arm 27 by means of an endwise sliding movement. The base 33 is provided with a catcher substantially the same as the catcher applied to the base 5, hence a detail description thereof is not deemed necessary, since corresponding parts are. indicated by like reference numerals and the previous description serving to give a clear understandin r thereof. Each end of the base 33 is provii ed with engaging means, the same being a duplicate of the engaging means applied to the outer end of the arm 4. The engaging means consist of hooks 20 and junctive parts substantially as herein disclosed and designated by like reference numerals indicating cm-respomling parts of the engaging means at the outer end of the arm 4.

Engaging means receiving the ring, loop or like part at the upper end of the mail bag, are fitted to the outer end of the arm 26 and are substantially the same as the engaging means applied to the arm 3. The base 3&is pivoted to the arm .26 and is held in either 01' its two positions by means of a latch bolt 16, and arms 17 are mounted upon the base 35 in a manner similar to the arms mounted upon the base 15. Pins 36 limit the closing of the arms 17, the latter being drawn together by means of a spring 18, as indicated herein.

The bag or other container supplied with the mail or other matter to be delivered from the station to the train is suspended between the arms 3 and 4 ol' the post 1 by the engaging means applied to said arms. The bagclike eontamer holding the mail or other matter to be delivered from the moving car issue pended between the arms 26 and 27 f th swinging frame by l heengagiuqrmeansapplied to said arms. As the tram app'rmtches the station, the mail bag carried by the. winging frame is delivered to the catcher ol' the post i and the mail bag suspended between the catcher applied to the arm 27 of sai 1n frame.

ihe operation will be readily understood from the foregoing in connection with the accompanying drawings, hence a detailed descri tion is not deemed necessary.

avin'g thus described the .ivention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In meansfor receiving and delivering mail, the combination of a supporting arm, a base mounted upon said arm and adapted to swingl I; l l i be turned end for end, means for securing said base to the arm in the required position,

and engaging means carried by said base.

2. In means for receiving and delivering mail, the combination of a support, catcher arms pivoted to said support, means for normally exerting a force to close said catcher .arms, and a spreader bar for holding said catcher arms separated at their receiving ends and adapted to be released by impact of the mail therewith, said spreader bar having connection with one of the bars to .move therewith and having sliding connection with the other arm.

3. In means for receiving and delivering mail, the combination of a support, a series of three arm's PIOJBCtfXl from the support, one of said arms belng provided with a catcher, and the other two arms having engaging means for suspending a mail bag in position for delivery, and a reversible guard attached to the aforesaid support at a point between the upper arm provided with the catcher, and the ai'innext below having one of the said engaging means.

- 4. In means of the character described, the combination of a support, oppositely disposed pivoted catcher arms having their outer ends flared and their opposing sides adjacent to the flared ends made hollow to form the receiving space for themail container, a spring normally exerting a force to )osed oivoted catcher arms l arms3 and 4 of the post 1 is turned up by the close the catcher arms and located in the rear of said receiving space, and a spreader bar arranged between the receiving space and the spring for holding the outer ends of the catcher arms separated and having pivotal crmnection with one of the said arms and sliding connection with the other arm and adapted to be released by impact of the mail therewith to permit automatic closing of the catcher arms upon the mail received between them.

5. in means of the character described, the combination of a support, 0 positely disliaving their outer ends flared and their opposing sides made hollow to form a space to receive the mail container, means normally exerting a force to close the catcher arms, and a spreader bar for holding the outer ends of the catcher arms separated and adapted to be re leased by impact of the mail therewith and permit automatic closing of the catcher arms upon the mail receivedbetween them, said spreader bar being pivoted at one end to one of the catcher arms and having its opposite end portion provided with an L-sldt, and a pin applied to the other catcher arm and arranged to operate in said L-slot.

in means of the character specified, the combination of up or and lower arms, bases mounted upon sa1( arms each adapted to be turned end for end, engaging means fitted to.

the upper base, a catc er'titted to the lower base, and engaging means at opposite ends 01 said lower base to admit of one being in op- 

